


Land of Hope and Glory

by A_sillyGermaninLatin_Class



Series: The history of the USA as near as I can figure [1]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-27
Updated: 2019-03-27
Packaged: 2019-12-25 10:07:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18259124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_sillyGermaninLatin_Class/pseuds/A_sillyGermaninLatin_Class
Summary: 5 snapshots of Europe in the New World in the Age of Exploration





	Land of Hope and Glory

~~1519~~

 

Spain took a deep breath of the sea air. The sailing had been long, but they had just sighted land. The New World. It spoke of hope. It spoke of power.  _ Finally _ , he could rise to prominence and show Portugal and France that he was a force to be reckoned with. Portugal had had his century, it was  _ his _ turn now. The New World was  _ his _ .

  
  


~~1534~~

 

France sighed quietly as the coast came into view. The harsh and unforgiving sight of the coastline topped by waving grasses and tall trees. It was beautiful and majestic and  _ his _ . He would secure his power in Europe here. Spain had grown significantly after capturing the Caribbean and the southern regions of the New World, but he hadn’t come up north, too busy trying to keep Portugal from growing more. The north was free for the taking, therefore, and he intended to take it.

  
  


~~1615~~

 

The Netherlands had no interest in colonizing the New World. His people could be put to better use elsewhere. And yet, here he was, sailing up the North River to Fort Nassau. Trade in this region had been very lucrative. Certainly, competition with France was unwanted, but not unexpected. They were both focused on the fur trade. The Fort was a hive of activity, a center of business. The natives came with their pelts, and his people came with their manufactured goods. And he got wealthy. Wealthy enough to place himself in the powers of Europe. Side by side with Spain and Portugal and France. The New World would give him money and influence. Truly a world of opportunity.

  
  


~~1624~~

 

England had been very busy in the past century. He got a headache in 1534 that refused to go away even almost a century later. It had faded some when Elizabeth took the throne. In fact, it was she who made him busy. Spain had been carting tons of wealth from the Americas, and she allowed him to take it. He sailed between England and the Caribbean most often, capturing ships and goods and land as he saw fit. The Americas were a very bittersweet place. He was free, and yet he had no tie to his colonies on the mainland. That was why he was here, in Virginia. With France to the West and North and Spain to the South, he needed to find the Colony. If he had a colony he had a legitimate claim to the land and a place to counter the machinations of both Spain and France.

  
  


~~1638~~

 

Sweden sighed as he looked around the land. Finland smiled next to him, bouncing slightly as he took in the scenery. It really was a beautiful land. It was also highly contested land. The Netherlands had colonies to the North, and England had colonies to the South. To keep this trade colony would be difficult, but hopefully worthwhile. It  _ would _ be nice to secure a greater significance in Europe.

**Author's Note:**

> References:
> 
> \- Land of Hope and Glory - an English patriotic song
> 
> \- 1519 - Cortez invades Mexico and the Aztec Empire falls. The beginnings of the Spanish Empire on the mainland.
> 
> \- Portugal from growing more - the treaty of Tordesillas in 1494 drew a line between the Portuguese colony of Brazil and the Spanish colonies to the west.
> 
> \- 1534 - Jaques Cartier explores the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The beginnings of the French claims to Canada and then the Mississippi
> 
> \- 1615 - Founding of Fort Nassau in New Netherlands. It helped secure Dutch trade presence in the New World
> 
> \- North River - The Hudson River
> 
> \- 1624 - Virginia becomes a royal colony.
> 
> \- 1534 - England breaks from the Catholic Church and forms the Anglican Church
> 
> \- 1683 - first Swedish colony in North America
> 
> \- Finland - part of the Swedish empire at the time
> 
> Well I hope you've enjoyed this. I certainly enjoyed researching for this. This is the beginning of my stories for APUSH, i.e. I'm going through American History and writing short bits on everything I can to study for the AP Exam. YAY!
> 
> Kudos and Comments are appreciated. Thanks! :)


End file.
